(By Delegates Iaquinta, Longstreth, Stephens and Azinger)
[Introduced February 13, 2013; referred to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs and Homeland Security then
Finance.]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new section, designated §9A-1-11b, relating
to establishing
a program to promote veteran friendly
communities; requiring the Division of Veterans Affairs, in
consultation with the Veteran's Council, to implement a
program to assist and encourage the development of veteran
friendly services, benefits and assistance available to
veterans; setting forth what the program must contain;
permitting the division to solicit the cooperation, assistance
and counsel of nonprofit organizations representing
municipalities and counties; and requiring annual reports. Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended
by adding thereto a new section, designated §9A-1-11b, to read as
follows:ARTICLE 1. DIVISION OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS.§9A-1-11b. Program to promote veteran friendly communities.
_____(a) The division, in consultation with the Veteran's Council,
shall establish and implement a program to assist and encourage the
development, availability and utilization of veteran friendly
services, benefits and assistance available to veterans in
communities in this state provided by state, federal and local
government agencies as well as private entities. The program shall
include, but not be limited to, the following:
_____(1) Development of resources to provide awareness in
communities of the unique needs and issues of veterans;
_____(2) Identification of funding sources to provide funding for
the establishment and development of the program established in
this section;
_____(3) Identification of funding sources to provide funding to
counties, municipalities and private agencies and organizations
for services, benefits and resources to veterans in their
respective communities;
_____(4) Encouragement and assistance to counties, municipalities
and other government agencies to enhance their efforts to provide
services to veterans and to provide accessibility to services
available to veterans from various public and private agencies and
entities in their communities including, but not limited to:
_____(A) Housing and financial assistance for housing available to veterans, including housing accommodations accessible to veterans
with disabilities;
_____(B) Healthcare services and assistance available to pay the
costs of healthcare for veterans;
_____(C) Employment resources and opportunities for veterans;
_____(D) Educational and vocational training resources and
opportunities for veterans; and
_____(E) Use of county, municipal and other government agency
Internet websites to provide information to veterans of the
availability of veteran-specific services in the community; and
_____(5) Establishment and development of a program to encourage
competition among counties and municipalities to develop, improve
and enhance services and benefits to veterans, including
establishment of awards and prizes in recognition of counties and
municipalities that excel in providing veteran services.
_____(b) The division may solicit the cooperation, assistance and
counsel of nonprofit organizations representing municipalities and
counties in the state in developing and implementing the program
established in this section._______(c) The division shall submit a report to the Joint Committee
on Government and Finance and to any appointed interim committee of
the Legislature on Veterans Affairs on October 1, annually, on the
progress towards implementing and administering the program
established in this section.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is establish a program to
promote veteran friendly communities; the bill provides that the
Division of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Veteran's
Council, shall establish a program to assist and encourage the
development, availability and utilization of veteran friendly
services, benefits and assistance available to veterans in
communities in this state. The bill also requires annual reports
to the Legislature.